Portable machine for shaping or contouring railway car axle bearing blocks



July 28, 959

P. C. THOMAS PORTABLE MACHINE Filed March 31. 1954 ET AL 2,896,513 FOR SHAPING 0R CONTOURING RAILWAY CAR AXLE BEARING BLOCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY July 28, 1959 P. c. THOMAS ET AL PORTABLE MACHINE FOR SHAPING OR-CONTOURING Filed March 51, 4954 RAILWAY CAR AXLE BEARING BLOCKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Peter C Thomas BY John 0. Ho

ATTORNEY July 28, 1959 r P. c. THOMAS ET AL 2,396,513

PORTABLE MACHINE FOR SHAPING 0R CONTOURING RAILWAY CAR AXLE BEARING BLOCKS Filed March 31, 1954 4 SheetsSheet 3 IIOorIOl IN VEN TORS c, Thomas a, Horst W4. wzfiww ATTORNEY 2,896,513 ING July 28, 195 P. c. THOMAS ET AL PORTABLE MACHINE FOR SHAPING OR CONTOUR RAILWAY CAR AXLE BEARING BLOCKS Filed March 31, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS Peter C. Thomas John C. Horst ATTORNEY States Patent 2,896,513 PORTABLE MACHINE FOR SHAPING OR CON- TOURING RAILWAY CAR AXLE BEARlNG BLOCKS Peter C. Thomas, Denver, and John C. Horst, Adams County, Colo.

Application March 31 1954, Serial No. 419,974

7 Claims. (Cl. 90-26) The present invention relates to a portable machine for shaping or contouring railway car axle bearing blocks.

As is well known, in railway cars, the weight is supported entirely by the upper bearing block and the upper surface of the axle and due to extremely hard service the axles wear very rapidly. Because, of this, they must be turned frequently to renew the surface.

An ordinary five inch diameter railway axle can be worn and refinished only until the diameter is reduced to four and one-half inches. The usual bearing blocks or brasses have a babbitt friction surface and are made to fit a five inch diameter axle. It will be apparent, therefore, that when such a bearing block is assembled with an axle having a diameter which is less than five inches, the axle and the babbitt bearing surface of the block Will engage only along a narrow line. This causes great pressure on the babbitt and often before the ordinary Wear of the bearing changes its contour to conform to that of the axle, it is too late because the babbitt in the meantime has melted or broken, oftentimes causing the axle to crystallize and break. It is also well known that damage resulting from hot boxes directly or indirectly on railway rolling stock costs the American railroads millions of dollars annually.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a portable machine or apparatus for shaping or contouring the babbitt of railway car axle bearing blocks or brasses in a highly efficient manner and at high speed whereby a bearing block may be accurately and precisely contoured to any given axle diameter within thousandths of an inch, and whereby an unskilled worker can do the job which heretofore required the services of a skilled mechanic.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable machine as aforesaid which when started in operation becomes entirely automatic, speedy and efficient and one which permits the required bearing block servicing to be done directly on the job at the location of the railway car needing such servicing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cutter-carrying head of new and improved structure, in which the cutters are simultaneously adjustable within a wide range and with speed and accuracy.

Another object of the invention is to provide the machine With means for accurately and quickly adjusting or locating the axle bearing block with relation to the cutter-carrying head and cutters.

A further object is to provide the table of the ma chine with new and improved means for quickly and accurately indicating its adjustment relative to the cutting or shaping head.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combined gauge and bearing block-centering and positioning means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine as aforesaid having a calibrated cutter head and similarly calibrated adjusting means for the bearing block supporting table permitting the proper setting of the cut- 2,896,513 Patented July 28, 1959 ters and the accurate adjustment of the table, in which the calibrations may be coordinated and set in accordance with the calipered measurement of an axle with which the contoured block is to be assembled.

When a new bearing block is to be fitted to an axle, the exact diameter of the axle is first ascertained by the use of a new and improved axle measuring instrument generally similar to calipers, or the like, after which the bearing block is properly set and adjusted in the machine, the cutting head adjusted and the tools set to cut a bearing surface of the same diameter as that of the axle with which it is to be used. The machine is now started into operation and automatically performs the necessary cutting to the desired shape or contour. Since this work is done right at the car location, much valuable time is saved.

The diameter of the axle is ascertained by the use of a new type of axle measuring instrument. When this has been determined, the adjustable and calibrated cuttercarrying head is adjusted and the cutters set at the precise position indicated by the axle measuring instrument. Since the adjustable table has a calibrated ring with calibrations corresponding to those on the cutter head, the two are coordinated and the table accordingly and precisely adjusted to position the bearing block so that the exact amount of metal may be turned off or removed by the cutters. In other words, when the exact reading has been determined by the axle measuring instrument, the cutter head is adjusted and the table is likewise adjusted, both in accordance with the reading obtained by the measuring instrument. Thus, these three units combine and cooperate to coordinate the setting or adjustment of the head and table of the machine precisely to assure the removal by the cutters, of the exact amount of metal (Babbitt) from the bearing block.

Heretofore, the usual way of shaping or contouring bearing block babbitt to each individual axle was to do the job by a tedious, laborious, hit-or-miss, inefficient, unsatisfactory and time-consuming hand operation. In some instances the job was attempted by cumbersome and slow so-called boring machines but these machines were expensive as well as being only partially satisfactory and actually increased the cost of servicing to such an extent that they were not considered practicable. In view of the constantly increasing magnitude of losses caused by hot-boxes, there has been a great need for an efficient machine or apparatus, such as that of the present inven-' tion, for shaping or contouring the babbitt of axle bearing blocks or brasses to fit each individual axle.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description and appended claims when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate correspond-- ing parts in the several views.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the portable machine of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary perspective view, certain parts being broken away, of the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, some-what enlarged,

Fig. ,6 is a vertical section of the head and cutters:

taken substantially along the-line 6-6 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the head and cutters taken substantially along the line 7-7 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail elevational view of the cutter-carrying head feed mechanism and associated parts, parts being broken away.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the adjustable work-holding table of the machine, showing the bearing-positioning and aligning gauge of the present invention in place upon a bearing block, before the actual positioning has been effected; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the parts after the bearing block has been properly positioned for the babbit shaping or contouring operation.

.Befor'e explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrange- Inent :of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. It is to beunderstood also that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, there is shown in this View one embodiment of the machine or apparatus of the present invention. The machine, as shown, is portable, is a compact unit, and because of its pair of forward rubber tired wheels, may be moved from place to place with ease and facility by merely grasping the handles at the rear of the frame and lifting the rear supporting legs off the floor, ground, or other surface. In lieu of handles and supporting legs, a third wheel could be substituted, thus providing a three-wheel chassis for supporting the machine; If desirable, the third wheel could be smaller than the other wheels and serve as a handle-controlled steering wheel. The machine need not, however, necessarily be a portable one.

The machine, as shown, comprises a frame, shown as a Whole at 11, having a lower portion 12 and an upper portion 13. The lower portion 12 comprises a pair of front upright legs 14 braced by brace members 15 and a pair of rear upright legs 16. An axle 17extends through the upright front legs 14 and carries at opposite ends rubber tired wheels 18. Handles 19, one at each side of lower frame 12 and attached thereto, project rearwardly from the frame and provide means for lifting the rear legs 16 off the supporting surface, such as a floor, to permit the machine to be moved by the wheels 18 to any desired location. The lower frame section 12 also carries a bracket-supported electric motor 20 which supplies motive power to operate the machine, as will be explained below. Different power-supplying means may be employed, however.

The upper frame portion 13 comprises a base or floor 21 from which extends a front upright fixed end wall 22 and a similar rear upright fixed end wall 23, see Figs. 1 and 2. The upper portions of walls 22 and 23 areconnected together and braced by a horizontal bar or frame member 24. The upper frame portion 13 is open at both sides to allow free and easy access to the mechanism located within said portion.

Disposed within the upper frame portion 13 is the adjustable axle bearing block-supporting table embodying the present invention. This table may best be seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10 and is designated as a whole by the reference character 25 in these views. The table is supported by a pair of telescoping relatively adjustable vertically disposed steel cylinders, the lower cylinder 26 being fixedly mounted upon the base or floor .21. The upper or inner cylinder 27 is slidable within and relatively to the lower cylinder 26, but is keyed, see Fig. 4, to prevent rotation. The table is actually mounted upon the upper cylinder 27 and is vertically adjustable with it. For this purpose, as shown, a vertically disposed shaft 28 having its lower end portion threaded at 29, is provided. The threaded portion engages a similarly threaded opening in the base 21 and the upper end of shaft 28 is at-tachedin suitable manner to the underside of table 25. The shaft 28 carries a bevel gear 30 adjacent its upper end. This gear is fixed to the shaft. The table 25 has acentrally disposed opening or cavity 2511 into which the under portion of a hearing block fits when the babbit shaping or contouring operation is performed.

The table also has a centrally disposed extension 25b at one side, see Figs. 2 and 3, which depends below the bottom surface of the table proper. The portion 25b provides a bearing or journal'for a horizontal shaft 31 which extends through it and through the wall of the upper cylinder 27, being journalled in a bearing 33 in said wall. The shaft 31 carries at its inner end a bevel gear 32 whichis in mesh with gear 30. The outer end of shaft 31 has the hub portion 35 of a spok'ed crank wheel 34 fixedly mounted upon it for turning shaft 31 and gear 32 to drive gear 351, thus rotating upright shaft 28 to raise or lower cylinder 27 and table 25' as a unit relative to cylinder 26. Hub 35 carries a calibrated sleeve 36, whereas the outer face of the extension or portion 25b carries a fixed cooperating indicator finger or pointer 37.. The exact amount of vertical adjustment of table 25 will be indicated by the graduated sleeve 36.

A bearing block to be shaped or contoured is shown as a whole'at 38 in position on table 25. This block as seen in Figs. 2 and 3 has not yet had its final positioning or locating for the shaping operation. The table 25 is provided with additional and identical cutout portions 250, 25c located at opposite ends of cutout 25 and extending crosswise or transversely of the block, as seen in Fig. 2. These cutout portions or slots 250 each contain a pair of opposed slideable bearing block engaging and gripping members 39 and 40. These members have depending portions 39a and 40a, respectively, which are coaxi'ally drilled and threaded 'to receive a shaft or rod 41 having reversely threaded spaced portions which cooperate with the threaded bores in depending portions 3% and 49a. Each shaft 41 carries at one end a block or enlargement 42 having a handle 43 which when turned rotates shaft 41 causing members 39 and 40 to move'simultaneously either toward each other and the bearing block 38 or away from each other and the bearing block. After the members 39 and 40 have been brought into holding engagement with bearing block 38 it is desirable to releasably lock the parts in position against accidental displacement- For this purpose there is provided for each shaft 41 a substantially right angularly disposed threaded rod or bolt 44 having a hexagonal head 45 and a finger or leverage applying member 46.

' The threaded rod orbolt 44 engages a threadedbore in the end portion of table 25 and the inner end of the bolt may be. brought into.frictional and binding engagement with shaft 41 when finger 46 is manipulated. Thus, shaft 41 is prevented from accidental or unauthorized turning. The shafts 41 and their operating means provide, in effect, horizontal adjustment means for the table 25 to allow the proper positioning. of the bearing block 38 for the shaping operation.

The table 25 is also provided with manually operable bearing block clamping devices for applying holding force in a downward direction to the bearing block. Such devices are best shown in Figs. 2, 3, 9 and 10 of the drawings. One of the force-applying and clamping devices, as shown, is disposed upon the-top of table 25 at each side of the opening or cavity 25a in position to engage and releasably hold the bearing block in position. One such device may be seen clearly in Fig. 3 and is indicated as a whole at 47. It comprises a base 48 and a generally horizontally disposed plate or clamping bar 49. An upright stud or rod 50 is threadedly engaged with clamping bar 49. This stud may be manipulated to vary or adjust the position of bar 49 with relation to base 48. A second stud or threaded rod 51 is swingably mounted on base 48 and extends upwardly through a lengthwise slot 49a in clamping bar 49. A nut 52 is threaded upon bolt 51 and is preferably provided in its periphery with spaced notches or cutout portions 52a to receive a tool (not shown) for tightening or loosening it to cause the inner end of bar 49 to bear against the adjacent portion of the bearing block and clamp it in place, or to release pressure upon it, as desired. It will be understood that at least one clamping device 47 is provided at each side of opening 25a. More may be provided, however, if desirable or expedient. The horizontally adjustable clamping members or blocks 39 and 40 and the vertically movable or adjustable clamping members 49 together serve to hold the bearing block 38 in position for the shaping or contouring operation.

The proper and exact centering of the bearing block 38 is accomplished by the use of a special locating or centering gauge shown as a whole at 53 in Figs. 3, 9 and 10. As best seen in Fig. 9, this gauge 53 has end plates or members 54 interconnected by a pair of spacers or rods 55. The end members have concave upper edges 56 and depending diverging legs 57. This gauge is precision made and its legs are adapted to engage the babbitt portion or section 38a of the bearing block. When in position, as indicated in Fig. 9, the crank wheel 34. is operated to raise table 25 until the concave portions 56 of the gauge engage the power driven shaft 58 of the machine, with the notches 56a shown in Fig. 9 actually engaging said shaft as in Fig. 10. This action, along with the four spaced legs 57 will accurately position or locate and thus align the babbitt area 38a of the bearing block with the cutter or cutters of the rotatable and traversing cutter head, shown as a whole at 69, Figs. 1 and 2.

After the bearing block has been accurately positioned, the table 25 is lowered sufficiently to allow the removal of the precision gauge 53.

The caliper measurement of the worn axle having already been taken to determine the required contour of the new bearing block, it is merely necessary to raise or lower table 25 in accordance with. a corresponding measurement or reading of the calibrations on sleeve 36, see Figs. 2 and 3. The bearing block now needs only to be shaped or contoured to be ready for installation with the car axle assembly.

The power driven'shaft 58 carries a pair of pulleys 61 and 62, see Fig. l, pulley 61 being shown as beltconnected by a belt 63 with a pulley 64 on motor shaft extension 65. Electric motive power is shown but is merely illustrative, since other suitable power means may be employed so long as the speed and efficiency of the cutter head 60 and associated parts or assemblies are not impaired. The operation of the electric motor 20 shown in the present embodiment of the invention is controlled by a suitable switch assembly 66 electrically connected to said motor by wiring 67. An electric power cable or conductor 68.1eads into the switch assembly from any convenient source of electric power.

Shaft 58 at its right end portion as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, is splined at 59. This spline 59 extends from the right end of the shaft for a distance equaling approximately one-third the length of said shaft. The shaft extends through openings in end walls 22 and 23 and is journalled in suitable bearings 69 and 70 carried by the end walls 22 and 23, respectively. The left end portion of shaft 58 is threaded as best shown at 71 in Fig. 8. The threads extend from the left end of the shaft for a distance approximately another one-third of the shafts length, the intermediate and remaining approximately one-third portion being plain and round and without keyway or spline.

The left end portion of shaft 58 is partially enclosed and supported by a skeleton frame, shown as a Whole at '72, which is secured to end wall 22 and bearing unit 69 and extends outwardly substantially horizontally. The frame carries a separable two-part nut 73 which engages the threads 71 and also serves to support the outer threaded end portion of shaft 58. As shown in Fig. 8, the threaded portion of shaft 58 has a diameter which is somewhat reduced in comparison. with the diameter of the remainder of the shaft. The frame includes front and rear longitudinal steel bars 74 and 75 respectively. These bars are suitably bolted to the blocks (not shown) carried by wall 22 and to the exterior of bearing unit or assembly 69. The outer ends of bars 74 and 75 straddle or embrace a generally oblong upright frame member 76, see Figs. 1 and 8. This member 76 is capable of limited sliding movement relative to the bars and is manually controlled by the operator of the machine.

Both bars 74 and 75 have horizontal slots 77, only one such being shown in Fig. 8. The upright frame member 76 carries at each side a guide block 78 which is in registry with and slidable in the companion slot or trackway 77. The outer end of the frame assembly 72 also carries means for separating the top and bottom halves of the divided nut 73. Such means, as shown, includes upper and lower arms 79 fixed to the halves of the threaded nut 73 at their forward or inner ends. The arms 79 adjacent their rear or outer ends are connected together by links 80, one only of which is shown. The connections are pivot pins or the like 81. The actual outer ends of arms 79 are offset and carry feet or free end members 82 which are in abutting engagement with the upper and lower cross or horizontal portions of slidable frame member 76. A hand control lever 83 is swingably mounted upon the inner end portions of frame members 74 and 75, one pivot connection being shown at 84. The control lever has a bifurcated lower end portion which straddles frame 72 and is attached to both sides of it. At each side of frame 72 there is a longitudinal connecting link 85 which connects a block '78 with the lever 83. The link is swingably attached to block 78 at 85a and to control lever 83 at 86. Thus, movement of lever 83 to the left from its position of Fig. 8 'Will move frame member 76 against the feet 82, swinging both arms 79 about their pivots 81 to move the upper and lower halves of nut 73 away from and out of mesh with the threads 71 of shaft 58. This will free the shaft and permit its manual or automatic return to its starting position toward the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 8.

While we have shown, merely by way of example, one form of manual means for returning the shaft 58 to its starting position, other manual means, as well as suitable power-operated or automatic means or mechanism, may be employed for this purpose within the scope of the present invention. In Figs. 1, 2 and 8 the manually operable means shown includes an upright member or bracket 87 embracing a free sleeve or collar surrounding the drive shaft 58 and abutting the adjacent enlarged unthreaded portion of the shaft at the right in Fig. 8. The collar is flanged so as to maintain the parts in operative relationship. The bracket carries an outwardly projecting adjustable stop pin 89. A horizontally disposed rack 90 is attached to the inner side or face of bracket 87 and projects through an opening 91 in upright wall 22 toward the right and underlies machine frame member 24. The rack is caused to travel toward the right to return the shaft 58 to starting position, by virtue of the provision of intermeshing gear 92. The gear is mounted on a shaft 93 which is journalled in a supporting block 94 attached to the inner face or surface of wall 22. Shaft 93 carries a round rather large 7 disk 95 on its outer end. A handle or crank 96 projects outwardly from the periphery of the disk, affording hand operable means for rapidly moving the rack 90 and thus the shaft 58 to its starting position with ease and facility.

The splined portion of shaft 58 carries the cuttercarrying head 60 of the present machine, equipped with its quick, accurate and precision-adjustable cutters or shaping tools, see especially Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7.

The complete cutter-carrying head assembly with its cutters or shapers is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the details of the new and improved head are shown in Figs. 5 through 7 of the drawings. The assembly 60 includes a female hub-carrying member 100 fixed to shaft 58 in any suitable manner, as by being keyed into spline 59. A second and opposed male hub-carrying member 101 fits shaft 58 and cooperates with keyed member 100, 'but is turna'ble about the shaft for cutter, shaper or bit-adjusting purposes. The outer and smaller diameter of male hub-carrying member 101 has several sockets 1'02 arranged in its periphery for the purpose of turning member 101 on shaft 58 relative to fixed female member 100. An inner ring or collar 103 having an inturned annular flange 104 at its outer end and being externally threaded at 105, fits with machined precision over member 101 and abuts the hub-carrying member 100 which is fixed to shaft 58, as best seen in Fig. 5. An outer ring 106 fits over the unthreaded periphery of collar 103 and abuts keyed or shaft-attached member 100. A locking ring or collar 107 threadedly engages the threaded portion 105 of collar 103. Male member 101 is provided with a pair of offset semi-circular ribs or guides 109 which register with and fit slidingly into transversely disposed curved slots or grooves 111 formed in a pair of diametrically opposed cutters or shaping bits 110. It is to be noted, see Fig. 5, that the cooperating members 100, 101, 103 and 106 of the shaper-tool or bit-carrying head 60 all combine to pro- 'vide diametrically opposed radial slots, openings, or sockets 110a for the reception of and the in and out adjustments of the cutters 110. Thus, When the head is assembled and locked for the shaping or contouring operation, the bits or cutters 110 are held fixed in their socketed and adjusted positions.

The ribs or guides 109 are so arranged in eccentric relation to the round contour of the head 60 that rotation of member 101 relative to member 100 in a clockwise direction, as indicated by arrow A in Fig. 6, will project the cutters or shapers 110, whereas rotation of member 101 in the opposite or counter-clockwise direction will retract the cutters or shapers 110'. By virtue of this adjustment, the amount of babbitt removed from one of the axle "bearing blocks 38 can be controlled to a minute degree .and with precision. Y

With the cutter head parts and cutters or bits in the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 5 an adjustment of the cutters 110 in accordance with the amount of babbitt to be removed from the bearing block to accommodate the new, or reduced, diameter of the axle with which it is to be assembled, may be accomplished by loosening the'bolts or studs 112, see Fig. 5. This releases the member 101 so that, by inserting a suitable tool (not shown) into the sockets 102, member 101 can be rotated in either direction around axle or shaft 58, moving the eccentric guides which are fixed to member 101 to cause the projection or retraction of cutter members 110 as desired.

The cutter-carrying head disclosed herein is illustrative of one concept of such a unit and it is to be distinctly understood that various modifications or variations thereof fall within the purview of the present invention. The number of parts or elements constituting head 60 will probably be reduced as production of the machin of thepresent invention is stepped up.

'For'convenience and the sake of clarity, we have shown our machine without an enclosing casing or the framework of the machine to conceal, or partially I conceal and protect, the working parts or units.

We claim:

1. A machine for shaping an axle bearing block to fit an axle, comprising a frame, an adjustable blocksupporting table associated with the frame, means for raising and lowering said table relative to the frame, a shaft journalled on said frame above the table, a cutter head including adjustable cutters therein mounted on said shaft and axially movable therewith whereby to shape the block as the cutters advance, the end portion of the shaft in advance of said head being threaded, a two-part nut supported by the frame for engagement with said threaded portion, means disposed adjacent the course of movement of said shaft to disengage said nut and arrest advancing movement of said shaft, and means including a rack connected to said shaft and a pinion supported from the frame for effecting a rapid return movement of the shaft and cutter head while said nut is disengaged.

2. A machine for shaping an axle bearing block to fit an. axle, comprising a frame, an adjustable blocksupporting table associated with the frame, means for raising and lowering said table relative to the frame, a shaft journalled on said frame above the table, a cutter head including adjustable cutters therein mounted on said shaft and axially movable therewith whereby to shape the block as the cutters advance, the end portion of the shaft in advance of said head being threaded, a two-part nut supported by the frame for engagement with said threaded portion, means disposed adjacent the course of movement of said shaft to disengage said nut and arrest advancing movement of said shaft, and means including a manually-actuated rack connected to said shaft and a pinion supported from the frame for effecting a rapid return movement of the shaft and cutter head while said nut is disengaged.

3. In a metal shaping machine, a frame, an adjustable work-supporting table associated with the frame, a rotary shaft journalled on the frame in overhanging relation to the table, said shaft having a threaded portion and being mounted on the frame for advancing and return movements, a cutter head including an adjustable cutter, mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith to shape work held on the table as the cutter advances, means to drive said shaft longitudinally for advancing said cutter, adjustable means for disconnecting the drive after a predetermined movement of said shaft, and means including a rack connected to said shaft and pinion supported from the frame for effecting a rapid return movement of said shaft and cutter head while the drive is disconnected.

4. In a metal shaping machine, a frame, an adjustable work-supporting table associated with the frame, a rotary shaft journalled on the frame in overhanging relation to the table, said shaft having a threaded portion at one end and being mounted on the frame for advancing and return movements, a cutter head including an adjustable cutter, mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith to shape work held on the table as the cutter advances, means to drive said shaft longitudinally for advancing said cutter, adjustable means for disconnecting the drive after a predetermined movement of said shaft, and means including a rack connected to said shaft and pinion supported from the frame for effecting a rapid return movement of said shaft and cutter head while the drive is disconnected.

5. In a metalshaping machine, a frame, an adjustable work-supporting table associated with the frame, a rotary shaft journalled on the frame in overhanging relation to the table, said shaft having a threaded portion and being mounted on the frame for advancing and return movements, a cutter head including an adjustable cutter, mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith to shape work held on the table as the cutter advances, means to drive said shaft longitudinally for advancing said cutter, adjustable means for disconnecting said rotary drive after a predetermined movement of said shaft, and rapid return means including a rack captively journalled to said shaft and a pinion supported from the frame and engaged with the rack for returning said shaft and cutter to the starting position.

6. A portable metal shaping machine comprising an upright frame, a bearing block supporting table vertically adjustable relative to the frame, means for adjusting the table, a horizontally disposed cutter head supporting shaft having a threaded outer end portion journalled in said frame, a cutter head having adjustable cutters therein mounted for rotation on said shaft, means including a split nut supported by the frame having movable portions engaging the threaded portion of the shaft for rotating said shaft and cutter head to cause the cutters to traverse and remove metal from a bearing block carried by the supporting table, means for automatically stopping the cutter head advance when the cutting operation is completed, and means including a rack connected to said shaft and a pinion supported from the frame for effecting a rapid return movement of said shaft and cutter head while said nut is disengaged.

7. A portable metal shaping machine comprising an upright frame, a bearing block supporting table vertical- 1y adjustable relative to the frame, means for adjusting the table, a horizontally disposed cutter head supporting shaft having a threaded outer end portion journalled in said frame, a cutter head having adjustable cutters therein mounted for rotation on said shaft, means including a split nut supported by the frame having movable portions engaging the threaded portion of the shaft for rotating said shaft and lcutter head to cause the cutters to traverse and remove metal from a bearing block carried by the supporting table, means for automatically stopping the cutter head advance when the cutting operation is completed, and manually actuated means in cluding a rack connected to said shaft and a pinion supported from the frame for etfecting a rapid return movement of said shaft and cutter head while said nut is dis-, engaged.

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